Month: July 2023

Review: Savage Urges by Suzanne Wright

Posted July 31, 2023 by Casee in Reviews | 40 Comments

Review: Savage Urges by Suzanne WrightReviewer: Casee
Savage Urges by Suzanne Wright
Narrator: Jill Redfield
Series: The Phoenix Pack #5
Also in this series: Wild Hunger, Wild Hunger , Carnal Secrets , Untamed Delights , Fierce Obsessions, Wild Hunger, Untamed Delights
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: May 3, 2016
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 316
Length: 10 hours and 44 minutes
Add It: Goodreads
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

She’s a lone wolf with a cause.
As a volunteer at a shelter for lone shifters—the same one that rescued her—Makenna Wray has dedicated her life to finding homes for its residents. And when she discovers that a teen in her care is related to Ryan Conner, the broody, handsome-as-sin enforcer of the Phoenix Pack, she’s eager to help connect the two. She just wasn’t prepared to feel a connection of her own.
Lone wolves are loners for a reason—and most of them bad. Or so Ryan assumes until he meets the mysterious Makenna. Quirky and sensual, she seems to enjoy riling him, especially when she refuses to discuss her past. Although there is no mating bond, he’s sure she’s the one. All he has to do is be patient and wait. But when another pack’s sinister Alpha comes sniffing around, threatening Makenna and her shelter, this enforcer is ready to let his wolf off the leash.…

Makenna Wray is a lone wolf that has dedicated her life to helping lone shifters. Working at a shelter that is specifically there to give lone shifters a place to go, Makenna is fiercely possessive of both the shelter and the shifters that seek asylum from life on the streets. Most lone shifters turn to bounty hunting and have no morals. Makenna is far from evil, but she is dangerous.

Ryan is an enforcer for The Phoenix Pack. He’s instantly leery of Makenna, as he has learned that lone shifters can’t be trusted. It doesn’t take long for Ryan to realize that Makenna is his true mate. He doesn’t tell her as he knows that she will run. The patience he shows soon runs out when the Alpha of another pack decides that he wants the shelter for very sinister reasons.

Makenna won’t let the shelter join any pack. The only reason lone shifters come to the shelter is because they are not part of a pack. The moment that it becomes shifter territory, the lone shifters will leave. Makenna knows it as does Dawn, the owner of the shelter. Pretty soon it becomes apparent that the Alpha is not going to give up. He will do whatever it takes to get his hands on the shelter, including killing anyone that gets in his way.

I really did like this book. I loved how Makenna understood what his grunts meant. Ryan isn’t one to talk much, but he finds himself talking more to Makenna than he has any other person in the past. I enjoyed the romance and thought that the suspense plot was well thought out.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The Phoenix Pack

four-stars

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Review: Loverboy by Sarina Bowen

Posted July 24, 2023 by Holly in Reviews | 54 Comments

Review: Loverboy by Sarina BowenReviewer: Holly
Loverboy by Sarina Bowen
Narrator: Joe Arden, Emma Wilder, Vanessa Edwin
Series: The Company #2
Also in this series: Moonlighter, Moonlighter
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: December 1, 2020
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 278
Length: 9 hours and 11 minutes
Add It: Goodreads
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two-stars
Series Rating: three-stars

Secrets, desires, and exquisite pie. It’s all in a day’s work at The Company.
Growing up, I was the rough guy from the wrong neighborhood who couldn’t catch a break. Posy was the pampered girl I tried to impress. But all she gave me was a single kiss before I had to skip town.Now I’m back, and the tables are turned. Posy runs a struggling pie shop. I’m the VP of a secretive billion-dollar security company. Not that I can tell her.There’s a murderer on the loose in New York, and he seems to spend a lot of time at Posy’s shop. It’s my job to identify him before he can harm a hair on her pretty head.Going undercover as Posy’s new barista wasn’t my idea. I don’t even drink coffee. But now I have to call her “boss,” and do everything the curvy perfectionist asks of me. I’d forgotten how much we infuriate each other, and that she somehow fills me with both irritation and desire in the same breath.There’s nobody more skilled at stealth ops than me. I can bring this killer down. Right after I take a cold shower. And just as soon I figure out how to make a skinny peppermint latte with milk poured in the shape of a kitten...

I really enjoy Sarina Bowen’s books as a whole. She does romance really well and I love falling into her stories. Having said that, I am not a fan of her writing romantic suspense.

Posy runs a pie shop and is doing her best to make ends meet. Unfortunately, she can’t find a good barista and she’s killing herself trying to do it all. When Gunnar turns up and seems like the answer to her prayers, she wants to turn him away on principle since he burned her once already when she was just out of college, but she can’t since she’s desperately in need of help and he seems kind of down on his luck. If only she wasn’t still attracted to him…

Gunnar is a security specialist. When a murderer seems to be taunting their firm and the police from Posy’s pie shop, he agrees to go undercover to figure out what he can. He doesn’t expect to still be attracted to Posy, or to what to help her in all the ways. He can’t tell her what he’s up to, but he vows to keep her safe.

There were so many cringe-worthy moments for me in this book. All of the “Security Specialists” seemed so incompetent, plus the whole “lying to her for her own good” trope was really frustrating. I enjoyed some parts of the novel, and I was curious how things would play out with her ex, which is why I kept reading. But the rest was a complete let-down. I do not plan to continue the series.

Rating: 2 out of 5

The Company

two-stars

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What Are You Reading? (653)

Posted July 21, 2023 by Casee in Features | 2 Comments

Casee

I am reading Resonance Surge (Psy-Changeling Trinity #7) by Nalini Singh. I just love those bears, they are so beary awesome. I am also reading Dragon Revealed (Dragon Kings #1) by Donna Grant. I’ve never read a book by this author & am really hoping that it’s a good series. Next up is Warrior’s Hope (Dark Protectors #16) by Rebecca Zanetti. I’m really looking forward to this one.

Since I loved the Dark in You series by Suzanne Wright so much, I decided to listen to the series on audio. I read Burn, Blaze, Ashes & Embers. I’m also listening to Protecting What’s Mine (Benevolence #3) by Lucy Score. Next up is Burn for You (Slow Burn #1) by J.T. Geissinger. I’ve been reading a ton of JTG’s books, but this one will be the first on audio. Fingers crossed.

Holly

I re-read Fairytale Come Alive by Kristen Ashley. Then, at Casee’s urging, I started the Dark in You series by Suzanne Wright this week. I purchased the ebooks and got the audiobooks from the library so I could switch between reading and listening. I finished Burn, Blaze, Ashes and Embers and I’m currently listening to Shadows. I am currently reading Craving in His Blood by Zoey Draven.

What are you reading this week? Any new favorites or books that drove you crazy? Share!

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Review: Finally Mine by Lucy Score

Posted July 17, 2023 by Casee in Reviews | 0 Comments

Review: Finally Mine by Lucy ScoreReviewer: Casee
Finally Mine by Lucy Score
Narrator: Melissa Moran
Series: Benevolence #2
Also in this series: Pretend You're Mine, Finally Mine
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: October 26, 2018
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 448
Length: 11 hours and 30 minutes
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Who is he if not a hero?
Aldo Moretta has always been the hero. The strongest, the fastest, the bravest. He fought for his country and built a thriving business in his hometown. With friends and family never more than a few blocks away, there was just one thing he was missing. The right girl.

She’d fallen for the wrong guy. The bad guy. But now that she’s finally free, Aldo isn’t going to miss his second chance. Not until his last deployment goes horribly wrong. He was prepared to give his life, but he wasn’t ready for an injury that takes a piece of him. How can he be her hero now?

Who is she if not a victim?
Gloria Parker walked away from a relationship that almost cost her her life. But the shame clings to her like a shadow. She’s wasted ten long years on the wrong man. When the right one returns home scarred and broken, she sees a kindred spirit. But as Gloria rebuilds her life, brick by brick, she wonders if she’s cut out for love. Real love.

Will they find a way to heal together or will their wounds keep them from the happiness they both crave?

Aldo Moretta has wanted Gloria Parker since they were in high school. He stepped aside when she started dating another guy, though it was hard. It got harder when she started being abused by her boyfriend. Now that Gloria has left Glenn, Aldo finally (heh) gets his chance with her. The problem is that he’s being deployed to Iraq and he doesn’t want her to wait for him. He wants her to stretch her wings and figure out who she is aside from a victim.

When Aldo is hurt in Iraq, he isn’t sure he can be what Gloria needs. After having to get one of his legs amputated below the knee, Aldo feels like he’s not a man that Gloria needs. He wasn’t there for her while she was being abused and now he feels like he’s not as much of a man. It was stupid, but he was clearly struggling. Harper helped him worked through his issues. One of the best things about this book was getting Aldo’s POV on his friendship with Harper. It was probably one of the best friendships that I have ever read in a book.

I’m not a huge fan of series books that have concurrent timelines (see The Purveli by Dianne Duvall). Finally Mine takes place at the same time as Pretend You’re Mine. While it was interesting to see Aldo and Gloria’s relationship with Harper and Luke, I still couldn’t get completely behind this book. It’s not that it wasn’t a good book, because it was really good. It just wasn’t as good as Pretend You’re Mine. Aldo and Gloria were sweet and I enjoyed it, but my expectations were really high.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Benevolence

four-stars

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What Are You Reading? (652)

Posted July 14, 2023 by Casee in Features | 4 Comments

Casee

I was on vacation over the Fourth of July & barely read a thing. I was disappointed in myself since I downloaded 12 books. I’ve discovered J.T. Gessinger. She writes mafia books, which I hate, but she’s such a good writer that I just keep reading her. I read Beautifully Cruel (Beautifully Cruel #1), Cruel Paradise (Beautifully Cruel #2), Ruthless Creatures (Queens & Monsters #1), and Pen Pal (I am not a fan of this one). I’m currently reading Carnal Urges (Queens & Monsters #2).

I loved the Dark in You series by Suzanne Wright so much that I decided to listen to it on audio. I’m currently listening to Ashes (Dark in You #3). Sooooo good.

Holly

I was on vacation the past two weeks, so we’re a little behind. Since last time I finished reading Capture the Sun by Jessie Mihalik and listening to Strictly Business by Carrie Elks. I really enjoyed both, though I wish there were more books to follow Capture the Sun. I re-read Magic Rises, Magic Breaks, Magic Shifts and Magic Binds by Ilona Andrews. I also re-read Sarazen’s Hunt and Blood and Venom by Isabel Wroth. I really wish there were more books in this series and the Little Coven series.

I read Possessed and Plundered by Tana Stone. Both were okay reads, though I enjoyed the first book more than the second. I haven’t decided if I’ll continue the series. I discovered Tiger’s Gambit by Minette Moreau while browsing Kindle and enjoyed it enough to immediately read the second book in the series, Leopard’s Surrender, which was just okay. I was very excited to start Jaguar’s Initiative, the third book in the series, but had to DNF it less than 15% in after View Spoiler » YMMV.

I listened to the audiobook for Rogue Darkness by Dianne Duvall, the latest installment in the Immortal Guardians series. I really liked it and look forward to more set in this world. I also listened to Wildfire by Ilona Andrews (yes, again) and re-read When He’s Torn by Suzanne Wright. I haven’t decided what to read next. I still haven’t read Resonance Surge by Nalini Singh, so I might pull that one up.

What are you reading this week? Any new favorites or books that drove you crazy? Share!

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